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29 June 2012

Royal Fashion Awards: The Bomber Command Memorial Unveiling

The Queen yesterday unveiled a memorial in Green Park dedicated to the tens of thousands of Bomber Command airmen that died during World War II. It was a moving ceremony, and plenty of royals turned out to witness it.

Ladies in hats and men in uniform, what more could you ask for?

Best in Standard

Queen Elizabeth

She's really spoiling me with all the purple she's sported in the last few weeks, but this is standard Queenie fare otherwise: dress, coat, hat, gloves, Queen Victoria's Bow Brooch. I'm a little surprised there's no nod to aviation mixed in here. A giant bejewelled fighter jet on the shoulder, that's what we need...or not.

Worst in Aviation Nods

The Duchess of Cornwall

Camilla picked up the aviation baton for both of them, with a brooch from RAF Halton (where she's Honorary Air Commodore) and a hat mimicing the dramatic effect of the propellors of a majestic helicopter on a grassy knoll in the summer time. Could also be representing something slaughtered by a turbine. Either one.

Best in Jubilee Repeats

The Countess of Wessex

L to R: The Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester

Dueling repeats from the Diamond Jubilee service earlier this month from these two lovelies. I'll give it to Sophie for shaking it up a bit with a hat switch and a jacket removal. (She also appears to be wearing an appropriately themed brooch.)

Best Hat

Princess Michael of Kent

Well, somebody's campaigning to get their picture put right under "fabulous" in the dictionary.

Best in Uniform

The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales

L to R: The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Prince Michael of Kent

Look at all these sharp dressed Royal Air Force gents with their sassy gold waistbands! All we're missing is the Duke of Cambridge, who I suppose is probably out there wearing his RAF uniform doing some actual RAF flying somewhere, so we'll have to excuse him. I'm calling this a tie: one for Philip, because he's Philip, and one for Charles for being newly promoted to the honorary five-star rank (in this and the other two services as well, from his mummy this month in recognition of his support over the years).